Feeding mechanism



Aug-1, 1928.

Y 1568J$7 A. L. WATSON ET AL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 31, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q Q Q N w I 1 gnvenh u A. L. WATSON ET AL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 31, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 7, 1928. 3,68%187 A. L. WATSON ET AL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 31, 1924 4,Sheets-Sheet 3 11,68J1$7 A. L. WATSON ET AL FEEDING MECHANISM Filed on. :51, 1924 4 She ets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

resale? ALBERT L.

WATSON, AND GFGBGE L. BARBIE-N, OE PENN YAN, YGR'K.

' FEEDING MECHANISM;

Application filed ct'obcr 31, 1924=1 Serial N0."Z47,007.

This invention aims to provide novel means-whereby a plurality of strips may be fed or advanced longitudinally,into crossed. and overlapped relation, on top of a: hoop,

in some" instances, butnot necessarily, to be fastened togetherpand; to be fastened to the hoop, if a hoop; is used, by staples or otherwise, the device being of, peculiar utility in making basket covers, basket parts, baskets and similar articles... a

' It is within the province of the disclosure toimprove generally and: toenhance theutility' of. devices of that type to which the invention-appertainsi. 1

Although a preferred form has i been shown, it will be understood that. a mechanic, working within the-scope of what is claimed, may make alterations, without departing. from the spirit orplacing the utility of, the device in jeopardy.

In. the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows in-topplan, 1{dBVlC8COI1- structed in: accordance with the invention; Figure 2' is a front elevation showing certa-inofthe chutes, parts-being broken away Figure 3 is. a rear elevation disclosing one of the; chutes, parts being broken away; Figure 4 is a vertical; longitudinal: section taken through one of the chutesand attendant parts,thechutebeing'broken away-intermediate its front and rear. ends; Figure 5 is a sectiontalzen about on the line of Figure 3, parts beingomitted, and the viewbeing' introduced for the purpose of end of the: slat or stripfln the chutes when the feeder isadvanced;

Figure 6 is a; sectional view of thefront portion. of one of the chutes; Figure 7-.is a diagrammatic view illustrating, in plan the mechanism whereby motion. is transmitted to the feeders of'the. chutes from the pressure actuat'edipiston; Figure 8 isian elevation depicting; the valve mechanism, in relation to the stapler.- and other parts; Figure9 is a sectional view taken through a portion 0 the table and disclosing, in elevation, the support which upholds the strips whilst the feeders.- are being withdrawn, and when the strips have been advanced upon thetable, as showniini Figure 1.; FigurelO is a cross section taken; through that portion. of the machine which. is delineated in. Figure; 9;

. Incarryingout the inventiomthere is provided a: support. 1=, which maybe constructed in variousa ways. According to the drawshowing; themember which upholds, the rear f table 3.9, when the-feeder ings,.the support 1 embodies a base 2,.above which. are located chutes 3, i, 5, 6 and 7'. The chutes are supported from the base 2 on legs-8, or in any other suitable way. The chutes 3 and 4' are disposed side by side, as are the chutes 6 and .7, the chute- Sbeing' located between. the chutes 4- and 6, in spaced relation thereto, as Figure 1. will disclose, all of the chutes being disposed radially with respect to a central point, which is the vertical center of a table 39, hereinafter alluded to.

At their lower edges, the. chutes 3, 4, 5,6 and 7 are provided with: longitudinal guides 9; carrying the sides 10 of the chutes. The sides 10 of the chutes are connected. by rear wall 11 and a front wall 12'. Hangers l l are secured tothe rear end walls 1 1- of the chutes and have annular fingers1'5, extended horizontally and forwardly intothe chutes, as shown in Figure 5. The fingers 15 serve to support the rear ends of the strips 16 in the chutes, whilst the lowermost strip is'being advanced forwardly out of each: chute, by a. mechanism now to bedescribed.

Each chute. is supplied with a horizontally slidable bottom or feeder 17, mounted-for reciprocation in the guides 9, and carrying longitudinal retainers 18 which slide in the guides. The parts; 18 are called retainers, because they cooperate with the: longitudinal edges of the. lowermost strip 1 6' in each chute, whilst the strip is being advanced out of the chute Each feeder 1.7 is provided. intermediate its longitudinal edges with an upstanding rib 19, equipped at itsrear endwith an upstanding-.shoulder 20.-- (Figures 2 and; 1). The strips 16' sometimes are warped, and if they are. warped, the rib 19 supports them along their. longitudinal. centers; The upstanding shoulder 20 on the rear or outerend of the rib 19* is adapted to engage the. rear end of thelowermost strip 16 in each chute, so; as to move-thestri-p forwardly uponthe 17 is advanced.v In their rear ends, the, feeders are provided with slots-21 which receivethe fingers 15 of the hangers 14; and permit the feedersv 17 to be advanced and retracted. Transverse cleats 22 are secured to the rear endsofthe feeders 17 and. serve. to offset any weakening caused by the slots 21, the cleats being cut away asat 23 in Figure 2:, to. clear the guides 9, wherever necessary; The cleat 22 which is located beneath the chutes 8 and thee at-- wardly extended as aforesaid. On the front wall of the tached thereto block being similarly mounted on the cleat of the feeder of the chute 5, and an anchor block 26 being mounted on the cleat of the feeders of the chutes 6 and 7. At this point, it will be profitable to glance at Figure 7, in comparison with Figure 1.

Noting Figures 2 and 4, it will be observed that a horizontal lip 27 is struck forwardly from the front end wall 12 of each chute. In the lip 27 is mounted (Figure 4) an adjusting device 28, such as a vertical bolt, carrying a nut 29 engaging the lip 27, the lower end of the bolt projection 30 constituting a part of a vertically adjustable stop 31, movable, for adjustment, in guides 32 attached to the front end Wall 12 of each chute. The stop 31 projects downwardly below-the wall 12, as in Figure 4, and holds back the next to the bottom strip 16, whilst the bottom strip is being advanced by the shoulder 20 of the feeder 17. Through the instrumentalit-y of the nut 29 and the bolt 28, the stop 31 may be adjusted vertically, the stop being held against upward movement, yieldably, by a compression spring 33, interposed between the projection '30 of the stop 31 and the lip 27 on the front wall of the chute 12.

After the strips have been advanced by the shoulders 20 of the feeders '17, into the positionsshown at 42, 43 and 44 in Figure 1,it is desirable to hold the strips in that position whilst the feeders 17 are being retracted. Having this consideration in mind, dogs 34 are pivoted to the front walls 12 of the chutesv 3,4, 6 and 7 and knuckle: against the walls 12, so that the dogs cannot swing downwardly beyond the position which they occupy in Figure 4. The dogs 34 are used at the forward end of thevchutes 3, 4, 6 and 7,

intermediate chute 5, a: different sort ,of dog, marked by the numeral 35, and shown in Figure 6, may be used. The dog 35 has a vertical stem 36 mounted to slide in the guides; of the intermediate chute, and pressed downwardly by a compression spring 38, engagcd at its upper end with one of the guides, and engaged at its lower end with an'abutment 37 on the stem 36 of the dog.

The dogs 34 drop by gravity behind the rear ends of the strips, after the strips have been advanced into the position'shown at-42 43 in Figure 1, the dog 35 being forced downwardly by the spring 38,- into a correspond ing position'with respect to the rear end of the strip 44 of Figure 1. The reason for the difference in the construction and operation of the dogs 34 and 35-is that there is oonsid'erable space between the forwardend walls of the chutes 34 and 6-7, on the one hand, andvthe table 39, on the otherhand, whereas there is'not so much space between an anchor block 24, ananchor being mounted on a for-.

supported in any suitable way on the base 2 and has an upstanding annular rim 40,

which is seen best in Figures 4 and 10. The which the strips areto be stapled,

hoop 41, to or secured otherwise, after they have been advanced into the positions shown at 42+- 43-'44, is mounted on the table 39, within the rim 40, the strips being upper edge. of the hoop. Within the rim 40 of the table 39' isjdisposed an arcuate support 45 having, in its upper edge, seats 46,47 and 48, as' disclosed in Figure '9. The seats 47 and 48 receive the outer ends of the strips 43, and the seat'46 receives the outer end of the strip44. The support'45 is provided, in order that when the feeders 17 are retracted, no one feeder will pull the adjoining strips crosswise and out of place. The support 45 has dependingplungers 49, slidable in the table 39, the support being upheld, yieldably, 50, surrounding the plungers, and interposed between the support 45 and the table 39. Owing to the presence of the springs 50, the support 45 can move downwardly, when the stapler 51 of Figures 1, 4' and 8 is fastening the strips 44, 42 and 43 together, and fastening'them to the upper edge of thehoop 41 which is located within the rim 40 of'the table 39. The stapler '51 may be of any desiredconstruction, and is moved vertically above the table 39 by any suitable means, there being no detailed showing of the stapler by compression springs advanced across the because it is a device purchased in the open '1) armor keeper'52 (Figure 8) is secured guide 55 wherein'alatch 54"is mounted for swinging movement, a compression spring 56 being located in the guide 55 and serving to swing the latch 54 to the right in Figure 8, so that when the stapler 51 moves down wardly, the keeper 52 on the stapler can first swing the upper end of the latch 54 to the left in Figure 8, and thenengage be neath a shoulder. 57 on the latch, to raise the latch when the stapler 51 moves upwardly. In order der 57-of the latch 54 from the keeper 52 on the stapler 51, after the stapler has moved upwardly a predetermined. amount, the latch 54 has a. beveled edge 58 adapted to engage a releasing projection 59on the post 53. The

lower end of the latch 54'is pivoted to a to "disengage the sh'oul-- a 'esn rsrr the base .2, and in the cylinder, :9. piston 162 p (it) .valve- 73 is operated reciprocates. The piston ".62 may :be operated thy air, steam or any other .fluid, but it will lbc assumedhereinafter that the piston is :steam actuated. The piston 62 carries :a-cross head 63 (Figures 1 and 8;). mounted to slide on guide 'ro.ds'64:su pported at their rear ends on the icylinder 61, "the cross head having an upstanding arm 72.

.Pulleys :65, "66, *67, .68, "69 .and 170 are sup ported dt'or :rotation, any suitable means indicated :at' 77. A flexible element 71 is connected to the block 26fot1the feeders .17 "for the chutes 6 and 7 and is looped about the pulley '70,xthe flexible element being :con- :nected to the 72 on athecross head '63 of the piston 62 and being ilooped about the pulley :65. element iszcontinued to the anchor block 24 of the :teede-rs 17 "for the chutes3 and 4, and from the anchor block 24, the flexible ele: ment extends iLbOlltzfihG pulleys 65, 67and 68, to the :pulley '69., the anchor block .25 of the feeder 17 for'the intermediate chute 5 being connected to the flexible element 7.1a ll as :indicated' .in Figure '.7. Although the part 7-1 has been alluded to 'as :2), flexible element, in the singular-number, it willxbe understood that it may be made up of as :many :portions :as is desired, :in order to facilitate connection .to the :anchor blocks 24, .26 and 23. Asshowni'nFigured, the pulley'65 is located at the .inner end of the chute 3, the pulley 66 being placed at the outer end of the chute 4, ithe pulley '67 being disposed at the inner end 0f the chutes 4'and 5, the .pulley 68 'being journaled at the outer end of the chute '5,-the, pulley 69 being rotata'bly :mountedzat the inner end of the chute 6, and the pulley 7 being supported at the outer end of the chute 6.

Steam is admitted :into the cylinder and is exhausted from the same by means of a *D-valve 73, which .need not be described in detaih-because ats construction is familiar to those having even can elementary knowledge "of steam engine construction. The by a rod 741provided 'at' its outer 'end. with'a transverse 'finger75, disposed "in "the path ortwthearm 72 which is carried by the cross head 63 on the piston 62. A link 76 is pivoted at one end to the bell cra'nk lever 60, and at the other to the valve rod .7 4.

When the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 8, the valve 73 is so positioned that steam has entered the forward end of the cylinder 61, and the steam in the rear end of thecylinder has been exhausted. The piston 62 has been retracted, the flexible element 71 retracting the feeders 17 in the chutes 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the shoulders 20 on From the pulley =65, the flexible latch as the ribs 19 of :the feeders engaging the rear .endszof the :lowermost strips '16 .iznthe chutes, and the strips 142, ".43 :and 44Fbeing in place on the hoop 141, as ssh'own in .Fiigure 1. The stapler:51 now :mOvesmlownwardly and fastens the strips 42, 43 and 44 together, and .to .the hoop '41, the :support .45 moving downwardly, and the springs being 1Compressed, :as .the stapler descends.

The operator now removes the vfinished product from the table 39 and inserts a new hoop 41 within the rim 40 of the table. As the stapler 51 descends, the keeper 52 on the stapler engages beneath the shoulder 57 of the latch 54, and raises the latch when the stapler moves upwardly, the beveled edge 58 of the latch engaging the projection 59 on the post.53 and disengaging the latch from the stapler, after the stapler has moved "upwardly a predetermined distance. W hen the latch :54 is raised, as aforesaid, the ib'elil crank lever 60 is tilted, and the link 76, '00- operating with the-valve rod 74, shifts the valve 7 3 to the left :in Figure 8, so that the steam in'the forward end of thecylinder "61 is exhausted, steam being admitted :to the rear end of the cylinder, the piston-.62 being advanced, and the flexible element 71 and naming the feeders 17, the shoulders '20 of the feeders advancing the lowermoststrips 16 out of the chutes '3, 4, 5, \6 and 7 into the position shown -at- 4243-44- in Figure 1, ready to be stapled together and the hoop 41, when the :stapler 51 descends. As the piston 62 arrives at the end of its forward stroke, the arm 72 on the cross head 63 of the piston engages the finger 75 on the valve rod 74 and shifts the valve 73 so that the steam in the rear end of the cylinder 61 is exhausted, steam entering the forward :end of the cylinder "and :causing the piston :to move rearwardl'y, the :fiexible element 7 2 'retract-ing the feeders 717 into the chutes 3, 4, 5, 6rand 7, and the strips'42, 43 and -44.being held in the position of Figure 1, by the dogs 34 and 35, against the backward drag of the feeders l7. Vihen the valve rod 74 is moved to the right in Figure 8, by the en gagement between the :arm 72 on the piston 62 and the finger 75 on the valve rod 74, as the piston is advanced, the Link '76 and the bell crank :61 draw the latch 64 downwardly into the position of Figure 8, so that when the stapler 51 moves downwardly, and then upwardly, the keeper 52 :on the stapler may engage with the shoulder 57 and raise the hereinbe-tore explained. An interval elapses between the time that the valve 73 is moved by the engagement between the parts 7 2 and 7 5, and the shifting of the valve by the parts 51-52575460 and 76, and durin this interval, the piston is moved to the lett in Figure 8, and then is held at rest, by the steam in the forward end of the cylinder 61.

It Will. be understood that the stapling mechanism may be so located as to connect the overlapped strips to the hoop, or to from nect the overlapped strips together, independently of the hoop, :as the opcratormay prefer.

Having thus described the invention, What isclaimed is 1. In a device of the class dcscribedya hoop-supporting table having an upstanding rim Within-Which a hoop isadapted to be placed, chutes disposed in substantially radial relation to the table, feeders movable in the chutes, and means for actuating the feeders;

2. In a device of the class described, a hoop-supporting table provided with an up standing rim Within which a hoop is adapted to be placed, a support within the rim and having seats for the reception of the strips which are to be fastened to the hoop, strip holding chutes cooperating with the table, and feeders movable in the chutes and adapt ed to advance the strips out of the chutes, upon the table, and into the seats of the support.

3. A device of the class described, constructed as set forth in claim 2, and further characterized by-theprovision of means for carrying the support resiliently on the table.

4. In a device of the class described, a

strip-receivingchute, a feeder mounted to reciprocate in the chute and constituting means for advancing a strip out of the chute, a table whereon the strip. is advanced,-a hoop-holding means on the table, yieldably supported means assembled with the table I for upholding the outer end ofthc strip with respect to the hoop-holding means,'and movable meanscoacting with the inner end of the strip to hold the strip against retraction -when the feeder is retracted.

5; In a device ofthe class described, a table, chutes disposed in substantially radial relation to the table, feeders slidable in the chutes and adapted to advance strips out of the chutes and upon the table, aflexible ele ment connected to the feeders, directionchanging idlers wherewith the flexible element is'engaged, and mechanism for actuating: the flexible element. v 6. A device of the class described, constructed as set forth in claim 5, and further characterized by the fact that said mechanism embodies a fluid-pressure cylinder and a piston operating in the cylinder, the flexible element being connected to the piston.

to be 7. In va device .of'the class described, a table, strip-holding chutes, feeders movable in the chutes and adapted to advance strips out of the chutes and upon'the'tahle, mechanism for operating the feeders, said mechanism comprising a fluid-pressure cylinder and a. piston operatingtherein, a valve controlling the fluid-pressure supply for the cylinder, means operated by the pistonfor shifting the valve in one direction, movable means for fastening the strips, and mechani m operated by said movable means for shifting the valve in an opposite direction.

8. In a device of the class described, a hoop-supporting table provided With an up standing rim Within which a hoop is adapted placed, a support Within the rim andf having seats for the reception of the strips which are to be fastened to the hoop, means for automatically feeding strips into the seats of the support, across each other at a common center, and means for fastening the strips together at their place of crossing.

9. In a basket making machine, means for automatically feeding of angularly disposed strips in the direction of their length in such a manner that: when the strips are fedthey Will be disposed across each otherand the ends thereof will radiate from a common center, and means for applying a fastening to thestrips 'vvhere-they' cross each other.- i

10. In a basket making machine, means for automatically feeding separately a plurality of angularly disposedrstrips in the direction of their, length in such a manner that Whenthe [strips are fed they will be disposed across each other and Will extend in a general radial direction from a central area, and meansfor applying a fastening to the strips Where they cross .eachother.

11. In a basketmaking machine, means for automatically feeding; a plurality of 100 strips separately in an angularlyidispos'ed relation and in such manner that When the strips are fed they Wlll' bG disposed in cross ing relation and having their ends outwardly directed from a central area and mately lyingvin one. general plane,combined with means for mechanically. fasteningthe strips Wherethey cross-each other,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own WGllELVB hereto aflixed our si 110 natures.

ALBERT L; WATSON.-; enonen n BARDEN.

separately a plurality approxi- I 

